‘Each vendor is a new story’: Rockville retail incubator showcases products from local entrepreneurs
Maryland Women’s Business Center’s ‘Shop Local’ program provides hands-on training, storefront for startups
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Jacqueline KalilApril 2, 2026 10:29 a.m.
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A colorful storefront in downtown Rockville boasts a display of handmade jewelry, purses and beauty products, beckoning shoppers inside. From the outside, it may look like a typical boutique. Inside, however, is something more: a space where local entrepreneurs test their retail dreams—one six-month stretch at a time.
“Shop Local” at 36D Maryland Ave. is part of the nonprofit Maryland Women’s Business Center’s retail incubator program, launched in 2019. Participants learn the ins and outs of retail—from merchandising and marketing to inventory systems and pricing—while gaining access to a brick-and-mortar space to sell their products.
“Our purpose is to help entrepreneurs in this industry start, grow and expand their businesses,” said Martha Jimenez, program manager for the Maryland Women’s Business Center, in an interview with Bethesda Today.
The program supports a cohort of roughly 18 aspiring retailers each year. Eligible applicants include makers of apparel, jewelry, home goods, toys, vintage or handmade items, and beauty products. Participants must commit to staffing the storefront regularly, completing monthly training, maintaining inventory, holding proper licensing and insurance, and paying a $250 monthly incubation fee.
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What began as a single Rockville storefront with space for six vendors has since expanded to Bowie, where a larger location accommodates 12. Over the years, the incubator has hosted nearly 90 vendors and is approaching $1 million in total sales, according to Jimenez.
Each cohort is intentionally diverse, bringing together entrepreneurs with different backgrounds, industries and levels of experience. Participants take varied paths after the program: some go on to open physical storefronts, while others grow through e-commerce or wholesale. About 35% ultimately launch their own brick-and-mortar shops, Jimenez said.
“Each vendor is a new story,” she said. “Each vendor is changing their lives through the Shop Local retail business incubator.”
One of those stories belongs to Carolina Clavijo, a 48-year-old Gaithersburg resident and jewelry maker who joined the program after leaving a career as a health care executive.
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“I left my high executive-paid role, and I decided it was time to at least try this,” Clavijo said.
Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, Clavijo has been making jewelry alongside her mother since she was 16. What began as a hobby gradually grew into something more serious—but it wasn’t until 2024 that she chose to pursue it full time.
After applying in spring 2025, Clavijo joined the incubator that July and is now continuing into a second six-month stint in Rockville. For her, the program has provided practical skills and a supportive environment to experiment with turning her passion into a business.
“I had everybody doing things for me,” she said of her previous career. “Now I have to price it, package it, build a website, sell—it’s everything.”
Through the incubator, she’s learned how to analyze costs, improve merchandising and market her products—skills she hadn’t needed in her executive role. Just as important, she said, has been gaining the confidence to promote her work.
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“When you’re an artist, it’s hard to put yourself out there,” Clavijo said. “This incubator is giving me that space and that voice.”
Another participant, Laurie Murphy, 48, of Montgomery Village and founder of Juss Rite Creations, said her business grew from a simple idea sparked by her then-12-year-old daughter.
“It all started with my daughter,” Murphy said. “She wanted to make body butters and lip glosses for family members and friends.”
What began in the kitchen has since evolved into a full product line.
“We classify ourselves as a head-to-toe essentials brand,” Murphy said, offering everything from body butters and scrubs to lip glosses, soaps and bath soaks. “There’s something for everyone.”
Murphy launched her business about two years ago and joined the program in July 2025 to expand its reach. Like Clavijo, she has completed one six-month term and is now participating in a second.
Participants also share responsibility for running the store, rotating shifts and collaborating on events to draw customers. The experience, Clavijo said, comes with challenges—but also valuable lessons in teamwork and retail operations.
For Jimenez, those hands-on experiences are what make the program effective. By lowering financial barriers and offering tailored support, the incubator allows entrepreneurs to test their ideas before committing to a permanent storefront.
As cohorts in Bowie and Rockville settle into their spaces, Jimenez said the goal remains the same: to provide a launching pad for small businesses and a pathway to long-term success.
“We are working in detail and individually with each vendor,” she said. “Every case is completely different—but they all have the opportunity to grow.”
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Originally published at Bethesdamagazine